I'm not sure I understand the initial media plaudits from yesterday's unveiling.
With the latest flagship phones so far released or announced, I feel this is very much a step backwards from the competition (though, rather a smaller step forward than everyone else)
Realistically, this is a most minor iteration. We have the obligatory upgrade to the latest Qualcomm flagship SoC, then..?
We have more screen real estate, though at the expense of the notch and what, initially, appears to be a relatively minor upgrade to the camera, when compared to everyone else.
Aesthetically, I personally think, this is by far the best looking OnePlus device and it's really on a par with the competition here. I don't have an issue with the look of the notch, though having never used a phone with a notch, I may well hate it in use.
Elsewhere, it seems to lag behind. Of all the competition, i.e. those with the Snapdragon 845, OnePlus seems to be the least innovative in its use. Nowhere do they advertise use of its AI / ML capabilities. I'm not suggesting they go down the Asus route and call everything AI, but at least show your making use of it.
I appreciate that most 'AI' features are mostly marketing nonsense, but some of it appears very useful. We are seeing phones with translation apps using AI, rather than connecting to the web. We're seeing phones use AI to learn how people use the phone, and continually change how they manage apps memory and power usage to improve both performance and battery life.
OnePlus have not made any claims towards anything like this, so if they are doing these types of things, why keep quiet.
This 'season' most of the innovation has been centred on the use of AI with the camera and so far we've seen some very amazing results from that. The big hitter being the Huawei P20 pro, though an honorable mention goes to the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S also, especially considering it's budget flagship price (very much in the OnePlus 6 range).
OnePlus have always lagged behind in the camera department. It seems one of its big sacrifices in order to keep the prices so low. Last year's 5T, the first OnePlus with a dual lens arrangement, was routinely savaged by critics and considered on par with the average mid range phones. So here is where many considered it needed to vastly improve.
Initial impressions do seem to suggest that great improvements have been made. However, it seems like they've really only arrived at the point other flagships were at last year. Considering the huge leap forward AI has taken in-phone photography this year, it seems that OnePlus still have a lot of work to do in order to catch up with the rest and, this year, still seem just as far behind.
Hardware wise, mobile technology is now very mature, so we're only ever, mostly, seeing small iterative improvements, so phone manufacturers can only offer iterative updates, from a hardware perspective. And this is what we've come to see over the last few years.
This year the majority of mobile innovation, on flagship models more so, has come through the use of AI, something OnePlus seems to have strangely overlooked with this latest release.
This year, this iteration feels like something I'd expect from a top end, mid range phone, not from something that used to sell itself as a flagship killer.
With some serious hard work from the OnePlus software team, much AI innovation seen elsewhere could be rolled out to the OnePlus 6 in the future, which would see it much more competitive in the flagship phone sector. Though, I imagine they'll wait until the 6T to implement such changes, which may give the competition too much of a head start.
I'm currently on my third OnePlus device but if I do decide to upgrade this year, I doubt I'll be spending my money on the OnePlus 6. I feel it's time for a change, Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S anyone?
Though if by some miracle I actually win the xda competition, I'll be happy to keep the phone for the foreseeable future
I think I'll wait to see what the Xiaomi Mi7/8 will bring
That's one way of looking at it.
I think it's a fine phone compared to the Galaxy S9+ which costs approx. €250,- more.
Yes, the Samsung has a higher screenresolution, probably a better camera and a slightly higher capacity battery, but I don't want to spend that extra money on that and get a lot of bloatware in the process.
Since I'm currently still using a Oneplus One, the 6 is awesome compared to that...
Was looking forward to the oneplus 6.
I was thinking to upgrade to either a Mi Mix 2s or OP6. But I don't see what the OP6 offers, besides non-IP rated waterproofing over the Mi Mix 2s.
Same innards.
Same price
Ugly notch
Better blacks?
Arguably worse camera on paper
No wireless charging.
I don't see why you would pick an OP6 over Mix 2s. Miui sucks (got a lot better though lately), but is very easy to replace with a custom ROM.
Disappointed
Compared to the S9 and £9+, yes it is a very fine phone and probably runs it very close.
Samsung was also seen this 'season' to only come to the table with an uninspired iterative update. I think that they've suffered in being one of the first this year to roll out the release and have been caught lagging by some of the other manufacturers that came later.
Last year the S8+ was considered to have one of the best cameras in a smart phone. This year, although the S9+ camera has improved, it is only a minor improvement. Huawei and Xiaomi through heavy use of AI, have made huge leaps forward compared to last year, probably equivalent to 5 years worth of normal iterative upgrades. They have also both brought some other, worthwhile, uses of AI with their latest phones to further push themselves ahead of the competition.
OnePlus originally made 2 big sacrifices in order to keep costs low. These were LCD screens and cameras that would be typically found on mid range phones. However they were pretty much alone in the budget flagship market back then and so this wasn't seen as a big issue. With the arrival of some competition they've had to adjust accordingly.
Last year OnePlus came with a fairly large price increase, which allowed them to switch to AMOLED screens, this year another price increase sees them moving to premium camera modules expected on flagship phones.
In terms of where OnePlus was with the One and even where they were last year, yes this is a great phone and a good improvement. But considering some of the innovations some of the competition has brought this year, they have lagged behind. I no longer believe they are the first choice for those looking at the budget flagship market. Xiaomi would appear to have taken on that title.
If Xiaomi would embrace the custom ROM community the same way OnePlus have, OnePlus could find themselves losing some loyal customers.
Firipu said:
I don't see why you would pick an OP6 over Mix 2s. Miui sucks (got a lot better though lately), but is very easy to replace with a custom ROM.
Disappointed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only once you've got passed Xiaomi's ridiculous 360 hour bootloader unlock shenanigans.
The OP6 is a compelling candidate because of good mfg support for bootloader unlock without voiding warranty, lots of dev support for root etc., 3.5mm audio jack, now packaged with water resistance, at a lower price given the top processor/RAM specs.
Camera and display of OP6 are apparently not the tip-top of the field, but in the thin upper range where discerning the minor differences between competitors is splitting hairs IMO.
AI is a flaky gimmick that causes more problems than it solves in all phones in 2018, IMO. Same goes for voice assistants and most of the other bells and whistles. I'm going to shut off all that on any phone I get. K.I.S.S.
Watching now for more to come on OP6... extensive reviews, puddle-dunking, bootloader unlock, TWRP, root, clip cases, audio quality impressions (3.5mm output), initial OS "bug" fixes...
Robbo.5000 said:
I'm not sure I understand the initial media plaudits from yesterday's unveiling.
With the latest flagship phones so far released or announced, I feel this is very much a step backwards from the competition (though, rather a smaller step forward than everyone else)
Realistically, this is a most minor iteration. We have the obligatory upgrade to the latest Qualcomm flagship SoC, then..?
We have more screen real estate, though at the expense of the notch and what, initially, appears to be a relatively minor upgrade to the camera, when compared to everyone else.
Aesthetically, I personally think, this is by far the best looking OnePlus device and it's really on a par with the competition here. I don't have an issue with the look of the notch, though having never used a phone with a notch, I may well hate it in use.
Elsewhere, it seems to lag behind. Of all the competition, i.e. those with the Snapdragon 845, OnePlus seems to be the least innovative in its use. Nowhere do they advertise use of its AI / ML capabilities. I'm not suggesting they go down the Asus route and call everything AI, but at least show your making use of it.
I appreciate that most 'AI' features are mostly marketing nonsense, but some of it appears very useful. We are seeing phones with translation apps using AI, rather than connecting to the web. We're seeing phones use AI to learn how people use the phone, and continually change how they manage apps memory and power usage to improve both performance and battery life.
OnePlus have not made any claims towards anything like this, so if they are doing these types of things, why keep quiet.
This 'season' most of the innovation has been centred on the use of AI with the camera and so far we've seen some very amazing results from that. The big hitter being the Huawei P20 pro, though an honorable mention goes to the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S also, especially considering it's budget flagship price (very much in the OnePlus 6 range).
OnePlus have always lagged behind in the camera department. It seems one of its big sacrifices in order to keep the prices so low. Last year's 5T, the first OnePlus with a dual lens arrangement, was routinely savaged by critics and considered on par with the average mid range phones. So here is where many considered it needed to vastly improve.
Initial impressions do seem to suggest that great improvements have been made. However, it seems like they've really only arrived at the point other flagships were at last year. Considering the huge leap forward AI has taken in-phone photography this year, it seems that OnePlus still have a lot of work to do in order to catch up with the rest and, this year, still seem just as far behind.
Hardware wise, mobile technology is now very mature, so we're only ever, mostly, seeing small iterative improvements, so phone manufacturers can only offer iterative updates, from a hardware perspective. And this is what we've come to see over the last few years.
This year the majority of mobile innovation, on flagship models more so, has come through the use of AI, something OnePlus seems to have strangely overlooked with this latest release.
This year, this iteration feels like something I'd expect from a top end, mid range phone, not from something that used to sell itself as a flagship killer.
With some serious hard work from the OnePlus software team, much AI innovation seen elsewhere could be rolled out to the OnePlus 6 in the future, which would see it much more competitive in the flagship phone sector. Though, I imagine they'll wait until the 6T to implement such changes, which may give the competition too much of a head start.
I'm currently on my third OnePlus device but if I do decide to upgrade this year, I doubt I'll be spending my money on the OnePlus 6. I feel it's time for a change, Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S anyone?
Though if by some miracle I actually win the xda competition, I'll be happy to keep the phone for the foreseeable future
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had similar feelings/experience. Ended up my story with oneplus by selling my op5t and bought a p20 pro. I won't buy the 6 and waiting for the 6t... Who knows. Also interested by the Mi Mix 2s.
hunhool said:
I had similar feelings/experience. Ended up my story with oneplus by selling my op5t and bought a p20 pro. I won't buy the 6 and waiting for the 6t... Who knows. Also interested by the Mi Mix 2s.
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Click to collapse
What improvements hardware/software wise will the 6T bring do you think ?
SlyUK said:
What improvements hardware/software wise will the 6T bring do you think ?
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Click to collapse
Maybe wireless charging..but I don't really know.
SlyUK said:
What improvements hardware/software wise will the 6T bring do you think ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe better battery, 3D Face unlock, fingerprint sensor under display
refedit said:
Maybe better battery, 3D Face unlock, fingerprint sensor under display
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Click to collapse
The only realistic item you listed is the battery which I 100% agree at least by a few hundred Mah.
The fingerprint sensor under the display isn't ready yet. Samsung has been trying to get this tech for their galaxy phones buts its just not there.
Huawei has a 2k device that has it and all the reviews states its not good.
They definitely could have done something special to make more of a splash but i think this rounds they did it with design.
where they fall short for me is :
1) Camera
2) Display
3) USB standard.
4) Battery
1) i think they should have done a bit more with the cameras on paper like larger pixels maybe dualpixel AF i think the 16 MP should have matched last years pixel 2 specs but with 16 MP then for the 20MP fo a wider angle monocrom so a max of LG / huawei. But i wait on official review to see if the current setup works well
2) Display i think OP should go to QHD its about time but leave the resolution at 1080p via software like what sony does but nit picking again as one plus screens are not bad its a Samsung panel so. Just they could add a AOD option via software.
3)The main let down for me why is the USB C port still usb 2.0 standard every one else uses usb 3.0 or 3.1 to allow for faster file transfers. For a lunch focused on speed this is the major let down smh the rest i was being nit picky but the usb really.
4) one plus should really try to get in the 4000 mah and 3600 mah battery capacity ranges especially since they have dash charge and goodish battery life
hunhool said:
I had similar feelings/experience. Ended up my story with oneplus by selling my op5t and bought a p20 pro. I won't buy the 6 and waiting for the 6t... Who knows. Also interested by the Mi Mix 2s.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought and returned a View 10 and P20 (non-pro) and neither would play my favorite game Hill Climb Racing 2. Major stutters so bad I couldn't even play. The P20 purchase was 9 weeks after the View. I was hoping it was a fluke deal. I did try a few other games that played well but I've also seen it mentioned that the 970 has GPU issues. I held off on the Mix 2s until the curtain was pulled back for the OP6 but I'm also on the fence. Think I'll order the 6 and if not wowed just return it and get the 2s.
Glass back on the 6
hunhool said:
Maybe wireless charging..but I don't really know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now that theyve swapped from metal to glass backing, i think you are correct.
I find it weird that it wasnt included in the 6 though.
Robbo.5000 said:
Compared to the S9 and £9+, yes it is a very fine phone and probably runs it very close.
Samsung was also seen this 'season' to only come to the table with an uninspired iterative update. I think that they've suffered in being one of the first this year to roll out the release and have been caught lagging by some of the other manufacturers that came later.
Last year the S8+ was considered to have one of the best cameras in a smart phone. This year, although the S9+ camera has improved, it is only a minor improvement. Huawei and Xiaomi through heavy use of AI, have made huge leaps forward compared to last year, probably equivalent to 5 years worth of normal iterative upgrades. They have also both brought some other, worthwhile, uses of AI with their latest phones to further push themselves ahead of the competition.
OnePlus originally made 2 big sacrifices in order to keep costs low. These were LCD screens and cameras that would be typically found on mid range phones. However they were pretty much alone in the budget flagship market back then and so this wasn't seen as a big issue. With the arrival of some competition they've had to adjust accordingly.
Last year OnePlus came with a fairly large price increase, which allowed them to switch to AMOLED screens, this year another price increase sees them moving to premium camera modules expected on flagship phones.
In terms of where OnePlus was with the One and even where they were last year, yes this is a great phone and a good improvement. But considering some of the innovations some of the competition has brought this year, they have lagged behind. I no longer believe they are the first choice for those looking at the budget flagship market. Xiaomi would appear to have taken on that title.
If Xiaomi would embrace the custom ROM community the same way OnePlus have, OnePlus could find themselves losing some loyal customers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well no offence, but the AI in mobiles at this point of time is a bit overrated... We have been seeing phones detect scenes and boost colors based on the scene long before companies started marketing it as AI (Coming from Honor View 10 User) , predictive app mamagement has also been a thing for a long time now.... Sure AI helps do it better... But does it really have to be marketed so much.. In reality my phone with AI doesnt feel as smooth as my friends Oneplus 5t, so im willing to bet oneplus 6 will be even smoother...
Since no one has posted any real camera samples and reviews as of now... I cant say much about it...
Onething that i did notice using the View 10 is the battery life. Its great.. Maybe thanks to the NPU, lets see if oneplus is doing something similar without making a fuss about it...
Overall it looks to be a very 2018 phone with all features te current flagships have - the AI advertising
Firipu said:
Was looking forward to the oneplus 6.
I was thinking to upgrade to either a Mi Mix 2s or OP6. But I don't see what the OP6 offers, besides non-IP rated waterproofing over the Mi Mix 2s.
Same innards.
Same price
Ugly notch
Better blacks?
Arguably worse camera on paper
No wireless charging.
I don't see why you would pick an OP6 over Mix 2s. Miui sucks (got a lot better though lately), but is very easy to replace with a custom ROM.
Disappointed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mi mix 2s disadvantages are ,very poor development & community...
If you like to modify your phone ..rooting , trying custom kernels , custom ROMs...etc.. then definitely OP6...
Otherwise Mix2s ..
I'm surprised by some of these comments. You're all asking for features that would clearly bump the price way up? I think you have unrealistic expectations - if you want it to be a s9, buy an s9 lol!
4k panel? Why? Your eyes can't see it, worse battery and more expensive.
The wireless charging, yes it's interesting, but doesn't matter at all to me. It's slower than with wires and I can't play on my phone whilst charging.
The camera is probably the only Biggie for me. I really hope it's low light shots are at least usable. I'm coming from my nexus 6P and this camera has served me very well - I hope the OnePlus 6 is better.
As for other things like the notch - I mean come on guys, if you disable it you can't even see it. With it there you get more screen size.
I think for the price it's a fantastic phone, and the software is a great experience compared to many other cheap alternatives!
cultofluna said:
Mi mix 2s disadvantages are ,very poor development & community...
If you like to modify your phone ..rooting , trying custom kernels , custom ROMs...etc.. then definitely OP6...
Otherwise Mix2s ..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not disagreeing, but I have a Mix 2 and redmi note 4. They both have a very active dev community. Really can't complain. Not as amazing as e.g. Nexus devices, but still very good imo. Can't comment on Oneplus dev community though.
And the 2s is a treble device.
wireless charging will always be asked for but hardly be undestood by me.
It's utterly slow compared to any charging solution on market.
Then you go on the charge for a day... it's somewhat convenient, but takes some more room in the phone internals, and on your desk with the charger.
The glass back is more for the awesome mobile network speeds and wifi reception.
As much as I hate glass for shattering, my experience always shown that metal chassis results in poor reception.
Well that's about it. I'm curiously waiting for the oneplus6 to arrive. It was a long time ago with the OnePlus One when I last saw how OnePlus fares...
I'm sure I'm gonna have the U12+ too as well this year, but I needed to check another qualcom rocketed device this year (no kirin or exynos for dev purposes on my end)
Related
Hello
I have a 2.5 year old Nexus 5x and am seriously thinking about getting a new phone. I've narrowed it down to two choices.
The Oneplus 6 (8gb/128gb) that I could get for around 550€ with the student discount. The phone is everything I ever wished for, except for the camera, which I fear might be a downgrade from Nexus 5x and the not so good customer service.
The other one is Huawei p20 pro, which I could get for 570€ from my carrier. It is a great phone, but I really dislike the EMUI. I was not very impressed with the camera (I've seen some mixed reviews from people). Hardware is amazing, but I really dislike their postprocessing (the oversharpening and oversaturated colours) and I've read that gcam port is probably unlikely because of the Kirin processor. I also don't know how Huawei phones hold out long term (speed, lagging, software updates...).
I plan to keep the phone for 2-3 years. Things that are important to me are stock software and I also want a good camera (at least on par with my nexus 5x). I don't game and I mostly use the phone for calling, texting, listening to music, taking pictures and browsing the internet. It is important to me that the phone stays fast and doesn't lag throught it's lifetime and that it gets enough software updates.
Any insight would be appreciated.
Edit: Decided to go with the Oneplus 6. Thank you all for your answers!
I'm having both of them, and boy.. You can't imagine how much I hate EMUI. It's a nice phone, I rly like the Twilight color with the Black frame (switched the Backcover) but it's a pain to flash, stock EMUI looks like **** and overall I'm just enjoying my OP6 way more then I do the P20 Pro. The Camera ain't that bad, but compared to the P20 Pro it's quality is just poor. But that's a thing I can safely survive with.
Had a P10 Pro and EMUI is simply horrible. I put it up against my 5t and the 5t won. I also recall reading that they no longer allow you to get an unlock code for the bootloader.
I have both devices as well. The camera on the p20 pro is definitely knock out, but if you value software experience at all, you'll hate it. EMUI is a clunky mess. Updating the device is a pain, it's really heavy handed with closing background apps (Android messages for web won't run consistently, for example) and in general, it's ugly imo.
I carry the oneplus 6 each day because I enjoy using it. I have been switching sims each weekend when I value pictures of my kids, etc. Ultimately, it'll find it's way to eBay.
Goronok said:
Ultimately, it'll find it's way to eBay.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try selling on Swappa. I've sold 6 phones though them in the last year and much better than eBay. I think I sold every one of my phones in less than a week.
Emui is not the end of the world. If you dislike it I would pick the OnePlus device. Btoh have pros and cons though. Huawei latest flagships don't have the slowdown like samsungs. So you can get the bells and whistles plus a consistent experience. Most importantly comparable battery with all the extras.
Like most Chinese oem's they all want to be apple/Samsung.
OnePlus is stockksh on a 1080p panel with the best hardware a available. So of course it's fast. Average device across the board. Biggest pro is extra hour of sot vs most phones(heavy user). Root and dev community.
Huawei will not be giving out bootloader codes after July(google actual date) but stock Android is available for a good majority of devices if interested.
op6 > p20 pro
my p20 pro got sluggish AF a month after usage.
op6 remains fast as day 1
I've seen videos of severe scrolling lag in basic apps like contacts on p20. It seems like EMUI has some issues it needs to work out first.
I just sold my p20 after using it for just a few hours LTE speeds were slower (55mpbs vs OP6 pulling 78mbps). As well as a bug utilizing the navbar on the device was buggy. When you enable navbar, it doesn't disable the fingerprint sensor from acting like a home button....so you have two home buttons side by side.
I would like to add that the costumer service is incredible (at least if you are a European citizen). I was never a fan of Samsung's/Huaweis aftersale support since it took me once 3 weeks to change the display of an SG S6.
Changing the display and the back cover of the OP3 costed me approximately 130€ with free DHL Express shipping. It took 3 working days until it was in GER again. I shipped it on Monday(early) and received the repaired smartphone on Wednesday evening (express courier).
For the software part: You will have 2 major updates and 36 months security updates (check your for reference: https://www.google.de/amp/s/www.xda-developers.com/oneplus-software-maintenance-schedule/amp/ )
Google port and custom roms is a big plus for the OP6. Camera is more then decent, it won't produce pictures like the Pixel 2, but the white balance / colour profile is pretty good ( maybe a bit to satured reds/orange - if you want to be very picky).
Overall i would go for the OP6 anytime.
I've owned a Huawei Mate 9 Pro, an Huawei Mate 10 and an Honor View 10. This must tell you that EMUI isn't as bad as all that. It isn't really.
The cameras and the camera software are outstanding. They even put my current Samsung S9+ to shame.
My concerns were :
Software updates - not too frequent, plus they like to 'authorise' a device for an update. Unlike OP where you can just use a VPN and get the update regardless of where you are, here you have to wait for authorisation or 'pay' and get the update from Funky Huawei.
I found on occasion, that despite some settings, things like some background apps were being killed or frozen. Stuff like Android Wear or the ThreeInTouch Wifi app. Some widgets wouldn't update. I don't think, going forward that Huawei are going to let you unlock bootloaders.
If you value a simpler OS that is updated and easy to root, unlock the bootloader and camera is secondary - get the OP.
If you adore having excellent photos, then get the P20 Pro - you won't regret it.
If the only thing concerning you about the OP6 is the camera (in comparison to 5X) - having both devices I can reassure you OP6 camera is miles better than Nexus 5X. And I wouldn't suggest buying Huawei to anyone. I think the oneplus offers the most nexus like software experience between all the OEM's right now
I can't speak about the P20 but I had a Mate 10 Pro and I sold it as I just didn't like EMUI at all. Compared to OOS it's just bad.
You'll better software support on the OnePlus 6. Huawei's software support track record isn't great. P20 Pro probably won't see Android P till Early 2019. OnePlus are offering Android P Betas right now.
From the comparisons I've seen online. The OnePlus 6 is faster, more RAM, camera is pretty even with both winning over the other in different situations.
The OS is great superior over EMUI and you will get update after update with OnePlus. The development community is far superior and of course insane battery with the fastest charging available with OnePlus dash charging.
I have the OnePlus 6 obviously, but faster phone, faster charging, stock like OS great camera and better support with updates and now OnePlus has come out and confirmed... 2 years OS updates and 3 YEARS security updates. It's a no brainier in my opinion.
Thank you all for your answers! I ordered the 1+6 today together with the nylon case. Really excited for it to come.
Hi XDA guys!
Everybody knows that Mi series goal is to be better than Redmi at least in specs and performance.
But how about performance to price ratio, how about all other things that You dont worry and dont expect in REDMI casue it's cheap but You do expect it in the MI series?
What are the problems/things that You don't like in MI series?
What are the problems/things that You don't like in REDMI series if there is any? WHY? Cause we all know not to expect wonders for a low budget priced phones.
I've talked to many people who had/have REDMI and MI series Xiaomi phones (clients, selllers, internet folks, friends) and they only agree on ONE thing -the price is great wheter it is REMI or MI phone.
A strange thing happens.... REDMI owners are always satisfied. The only thing that bothers not all of them is the camera quality.
But in low and middle price segment REDMI beats EVERY other BRAND.
Xiaomi has also great prices in the high end flagship models but here MANY PEOPLE are dissapointed.
For example camera quality, screen quiality, body, bezel, bugs, no NFC, no european B20 LTE band.
The MI users also tell me that non of the above bothers them but something totaly different. EACH person = an original problem with MI device.
Can You please tell me what are Your problems/dislikes with MI and REDMI devices cause I'm about to buy one from each segment?
What should I worry about (Android updates maybe?) buying a REDMI and a MI phone IN YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIANCE?
Don't get me wrong. I never had a MI phone but in shops they perform GREAT so I wonder what's the fuss is about?
You Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S is running good, Internal version with all bands, I bought it in Xiaomi shop in France so it's normal to get everything good.
The problems that I noticed are a performances issues on benchmarks and the back glass is very fragile, I have scratches even with the case.
I have big hopes with Android P.
Bryandu13 said:
You Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S is running good, Internal version with all bands, I bought it in Xiaomi shop in France so it's normal to get everything good.
The problems that I noticed are a performances issues on benchmarks and the back glass is very fragile, I have scratches even with the case.
I have big hopes with Android P.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for reply dude, I have some questions though:
1. What exactly did You notice on benchmarks? Performance issues shouldn't exist. It's the fastest CPU (SD 845).
2.Why do You have big hopes with Android P. Is Oreo making problems and what kind?
3. It would seem like in flagship models the manufactuers put very delicate screens probably to earn more cash on repair. I have the same problem on Samsung Galaxy S8. A slightly nail can scratch the surface and still they say it's gorilla glass. That unacceptable.
On Redmi Note 4 (cheap Xiaomi phone) I have such a hard screen that I don't need any kind of protection....
My mi mix 2s issue is just about ghosting screen and laggy video recording, other than that is perfect.
So many issues. Mostly software which has too many bugs to list. Text selection is buggy. Text input is laggy because of full screen gestures. Often no way to switch apps during calls. MIUI is a disaster. Our Mi A2 running Android One is a significant step up.
In terms of hardware, the Mix 2s is ok. The screen is the main problem. It is not very bright outside compared to my old pixel. Also it scratches very easily. I've never had a scratch on a phone screen in over 10 years, but I already have 2 on this handset after a few weeks and I don't have a clue how as I don't keep anything else in the same pocket. It says it is gorilla glass but I don't believe it - I think it is made out of cheese
I've noticed performance drops on benchmarks too. First Antutu score was 270k, the last one i did after factory was 209k....
Phone gets hot real quick, idle cpu temperature is around 39C.
My camera lens started to peel... after a week
androidbadboy said:
Thanks for reply dude, I have some questions though:
1. What exactly did You notice on benchmarks? Performance issues shouldn't exist. It's the fastest CPU (SD 845).
2.Why do You have big hopes with Android P. Is Oreo making problems and what kind?
3. It would seem like in flagship models the manufactuers put very delicate screens probably to earn more cash on repair. I have the same problem on Samsung Galaxy S8. A slightly nail can scratch the surface and still they say it's gorilla glass. That unacceptable.
On Redmi Note 4 (cheap Xiaomi phone) I have such a hard screen that I don't need any kind of protection....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1 - Low scores for a S845 (less than 200k on AnTuTu, 3400 on 3dmark slingshot extreme, 1900-7000 on Geekbench)
2 - Xiaomi announced big buffs for camera and performances with their Android P builds.
3 - I'm just talking about scratches, because the back is ceramic and shouldn't be scrashed so easily under a case (the provided one).
That scratching is simply a way to tell Your subconcius to buy another flagship from Xiaomi cause the current one will be too scrached.
Are You sure that the long awaited Mi Mix 2s has a long list of bugs?
Xiaomi did overtime to put this phone on the market with flawless opinion.
What else I can expect from Mi Mix 2s and do You think that these bugs won't exist in the newly lanuched Mi8?
BTW It's a shame, Xiaomi was well on their way to beat even Samsung with performance to price ratio but they suddenly asked too much cash for their top phones.
If they would keep up what has been done in the low budget phones we could have a worldwide revolution resouting in ALL brands lowering their price for even flagship phones.
It was so close... We all would benefit from it. For example a Samsung S9+ instead of 1000 $ would cost 600 USD.
Xiaomi did us no favor and got all of a sudden a big time player alhought their flagships are yet far from being great.
Who cares?I am using this phone, not someone else.I like it, this is the most important thing.
1 - My Mix 2S never freezes. Never.
2 - I'm not facing any issue with video recording (4k).
3 - I don't give a **** for performing Antutu tests. I just look at its scores before buying.
4 - I'm with Mix 2S about 20 days and there's no lens peeling or scratches. I am careful with it. I can sell it right now as a new.
Adriano-A3 said:
1 - My Mix 2S never freezes. Never.
2 - I'm not facing any issue with video recording (4k).
3 - I don't give a **** for performing Antutu tests. I just look at its scores before buying.
4 - I'm with Mix 2S about 20 days and there's no lens peeling or scratches. I am careful with it. I can sell it right now as a new.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
2 - Just check in camera settings 60 fps isn't available.
3 - ok, but the Snapdragon 845 was a major spec for this device and the phone perform like a S835 one.
4 - You're lucky for the scraches, I don't know how the mine have been scrached under a case, but I have no lens peeling neither.
I've had mine for 3 months now, and it's perfect for me, especially for the price.
No scratches, no peel lenses, and I don't notice any ghosting. In fact, my only gripe is that the MIUI notification pull down with the brightness slider needs you to touch where the slider is before you can move it. My previous phone (ZUK Z2 Pro) let you tap anywhere on the slider bar and it would move to where your finger is. So quickly upping to full brightness in sunlight on my Mix 2S is trickier as I need to see where the slider is.
Bryandu13 said:
2 - Just check in camera settings 60 fps isn't available.
3 - ok, but the Snapdragon 845 was a major spec for this device and the phone perform like a S835 one.
4 - You're lucky for the scraches, I don't know how the mine have been scrached under a case, but I have no lens peeling neither.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
2 - You are right. Is Xiaomi crazy?
3 - As I told for a friend early: I didn't notice any difference while using Mix 2 and Mix 2S. I'm not on gaming. I just want a never-lag device, iykwim.
4 - I'm with my device 24 hours per day. I know where it is everytime.
I have the global model 128gb version and as soon as it was set up I was disappointed with MIUI.
Never had a Xiaomi device before but the rom sucks and has so many bugs in it it's really annoying.
Fortunately some people here are developing custom ROMs and I'm on pixel experience gsi right now which works flawlessly. It's like having a Pixel for half the price. Of course there is some work left for the Devs regarding some little features like auto brightness and camera apps but I'm use a Gcam port and it's fine for me.
It's not the device IMO its the software that kills it. They have good prices but the bootloader unlocking process is really annoying and their software suite like the MiFlash tool is really crappy.
I tried flashing the Android P Beta from Xiaomi and almost bricked my phone because they just forgot to include some batch files in the original download. I was lucky because some guy here provided all the needed files and I got the device running but this must not happen to a company that wants to be a global player.
Just my 2 cents...
I use the provided case and have no scratches, lens peels whatsoever but the case start to break on the lower right corner after just 2 months and taking it off only 3 times. But it was free so I'm okay with that.
kleinholzinferno said:
I have the global model 128gb version and as soon as it was set up I was disappointed with MIUI.
Never had a Xiaomi device before but the rom sucks and has so many bugs in it it's really annoying.
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Click to collapse
Well, this is your respectable opinion but I really don't understand why people spend 500 USD/EUR being totally unconscious of the products they are buying.
MIUI OS has been developed for many years and it always had the same peculiarities: extremely visually accurate, feature-rich, buggy, childish.
MIUI is something you just love or hate. But it has been so for years: people should know in advance when they buy normal Xiaomi devices (I mean, other than A1 or A2).
It is very surprising that buyers complain of something everibody knows.
I also own a Samsung S7 Edge, which is "boring": never had a single issue in two years.
When I bought the Mi Mix 2S I was perfectly aware that I was buying a totally different phone, with an OS which apparently is always in beta stage.
But, you know, my Xiaomi is just fun!
guildamx said:
Well, this is your respectable opinion but I really don't understand why people spend 500 USD/EUR being totally unconscious of the products they are buying.
MIUI OS has been developed for many years and it always had the same peculiarities: extremely visually accurate, feature-rich, buggy, childish.
MIUI is something you just love or hate. But it has been so for years: people should know in advance when they buy normal Xiaomi devices (I mean, other than A1 or A2).
It is very surprising that buyers complain of something everibody knows.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem is that reviews never talk about the bugs or missing features. And the ROM flashing community makes it sound easy to just swap to an AOSP ROM, without mentioning that AOSP ROMs take a very long time to develop and lose features like camera quality etc.
Personally I expected MIUI to be a bit annoying. I used it 6 years ago and it was not great but I had expected it to have improved. I was wrong. It is the worst experience I've had on a phone out of the box. I can't believe companies manage to sell consumer devices this bad. Xiaomi puts a tonne of effort into a ROM that has fewer features and worse usability than stock Android. Why invest so much energy into making something worse?
mike freegan said:
The problem is that reviews never talk about the bugs or missing features. And the ROM flashing community makes it sound easy to just swap to an AOSP ROM, without mentioning that AOSP ROMs take a very long time to develop and lose features like camera quality etc.
Personally I expected MIUI to be a bit annoying. I used it 6 years ago and it was not great but I had expected it to have improved. I was wrong. It is the worst experience I've had on a phone out of the box. I can't believe companies manage to sell consumer devices this bad. Xiaomi puts a tonne of effort into a ROM that has fewer features and worse usability than stock Android. Why invest so much energy into making something worse?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had both stock and miui , emui , etc...
I had Nokia 8 , Lg G6 , Honor 8 huawei p9 , p10 plus, xiaomi mi mix 2s , samsung s5
And i dont understand why do you say that miui has less features ... It has theme engine (no root) ,gestures, optimized battery saving , screen temprature
It seems you dont know what you are talking about , i found that the phone with less features was nokia 8 (stock) . The only thing good was the fastest updates but i had no control about nothing
guildamx said:
Well, this is your respectable opinion but I really don't understand why people spend 500 USD/EUR being totally unconscious of the products they are buying.
MIUI OS has been developed for many years and it always had the same peculiarities: extremely visually accurate, feature-rich, buggy, childish.
MIUI is something you just love or hate. But it has been so for years: people should know in advance when they buy normal Xiaomi devices (I mean, other than A1 or A2).
It is very surprising that buyers complain of something everibody knows.
I also own a Samsung S7 Edge, which is "boring": never had a single issue in two years.
When I bought the Mi Mix 2S I was perfectly aware that I was buying a totally different phone, with an OS which apparently is always in beta stage.
But, you know, my Xiaomi is just fun!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to clarify some things:
Before buying a product at that price range I'm thoroughly investigating the product. So I was not "totally unconscious" as you call it.
I was aware of the OS and the differences from stock android. But if you can't get your hands on a device before buying it you have to trust reviews and hands on videos. And almost all of them didn't mention the problems I encountered.
As posted before you're getting lied to or bugs and errors are just sugarcoated and no one tells the truth.
I have no problem flashing phones and always did and I'm glad there are alternatives for this piece of crap MIUI. You say it's developed for years? Maybe, but for this amount of time invested into an OS we could expect a better performance and stable ROMs without all the bugs.
Have you ever read the official MIUI forum? Besides the point whor**g there it's full of bugs and problems and none of the Xiaomi devs gives a flying f*ck about the people reporting them.
I'm happy with the pixel experience rom by now. Never going back again.
End of rant.
---------- Post added at 11:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:13 PM ----------
DMart9406 said:
It has theme engine (no root) ,gestures, optimized battery saving , screen temprature
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Click to collapse
Yeah themes are the most important feature... especially when you have to set your location to India to get it to work.
You know, that's one of the things that makes me mad. It's not only about pushing as many features into a rom as possible. They should work properly to be a benefit. Not working features are a no-go.
And all of the things you mention are not MIUI specific. They try to copy all the good stuff from other manufacturers, but fail permanently.
Battery life was catastrophic with MIUI. With the Pixel Experience rom I get twice the SOT. And that's with a not device customized GSI...let that sink in.
kleinholzinferno said:
Just to clarify some things (...)
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Click to collapse
Again, that is your point of view. I am not saying you are lying, just that your opinion is highly subjective.
1) MIUI forum is full of children writing "cool" and "great". Nothing comparable with XDA. But is has been so since the beginning. Every experienced android user knows (and keeps far away). Why complain now?
2) As I wrote above, I also own a Samsung S7 Edge, whose OS is rock-solid. Still I cannot complain about the lack of feature in MIUI. For example I have many routines in my ordinary day; with the S7 I used Tasker for scheduling vibration mode, wifi on/off, connection and so on; MIUI has this feature and works great, without additional apps (and root!). Same for taking screen captures: no need to edit build.prob, as MIUI has a simple gesture for that. I agree that MIUI may have some bugs, but definitely the issue is not the lack of features.
3) Battery life was "catastrophic" just in your configuration. In my configuration battery drain is comparable with S7, i.e. very good.
guildamx said:
Again, that is your point of view. I am not saying you are lying, just that your opinion is highly subjective.
1) MIUI forum is full of children writing "cool" and "great". Nothing comparable with XDA. But is has been so since the beginning. Every experienced android user knows (and keeps far away). Why complain now?
2) As I wrote above, I also own a Samsung S7 Edge, whose OS is rock-solid. Still I cannot complain about the lack of feature in MIUI. For example I have many routines in my ordinary day; with the S7 I used Tasker for scheduling vibration mode, wifi on/off, connection and so on; MIUI has this feature and works great, without additional apps (and root!). Same for taking screen captures: no need to edit build.prob, as MIUI has a simple gesture for that. I agree that MIUI may have some bugs, but definitely the issue is not the lack of features.
3) Battery life was "catastrophic" just in your configuration. In my configuration battery drain is comparable with S7, i.e. very good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course my opinion is subjective...as all opinions are. I just pointed out what bothers me about the forum, the device and the software.
I've seen and used much better android ROMs and MIUI is just not for me. So I switched the rom asap.
I also used Samsung's UI on my brand new tablet with at the time some of the best hardware you could get. And guess what it lagged awfully. So I dumped the Samsung firmware, installed lineage and it's snappy and responsive. No comparison.
But everybody likes and uses or needs other features, as you mentioned and that's perfectly fine. That's the great advantage of a free system like android.
I just don't need the "features" of MIUI to me it's overloaded.
Regarding the forum you're right. It's like playing COD with a bunch of 14 year olds on steroids.
I realize this is kind of a ridiculous threat because that phone is at least 4 months away, although I'm going to be in the market for a new phone, and as far as I can deal there are only two options for unlocked phones on Verizon.
seems like this phone has been getting fantastic reviews. Harvard do you think that the OnePlus will be able to match the hardware? Google seems to have always skimped on the hardware. I'm hoping for at least 8 gig of RAM on the Pixel 4. That being said do you think it is worth waiting for that phone or should I just pull the trigger? Currently have 2 XL and it is running great, I'm just getting bored with it
I assume the pixel 4 will be like the pixel 2 but with hardware upgrades. If you're bored with the pixel OnePlus is a good alternative.
The camera will be a downgrade if you do get the 7pro
I still think there will be a notch or a cut out but it will be a much improved over the 3 XL design.
At least 6gb of ram and better battery life is a must .
The screen on the 3 XL was very good and I'm sure the 4 will be the same but I can't see Google going for the 90hz.
Considering the pixel 3 is still the best cam with an older sensor. I could only imagine what Google could do with updated lens. Maybe wide or telephoto too.
Will be released with Q as well which is looking promising
Thanks for the messages. I assume processor will still be the same? I really don't care about the camera as much. And mainly concerned about speed and performance
Have you seen the proposed apple and Google handset forms. Expect a move back to big square camera mods, and big square panels. Yikes.
Cowbell_Guy said:
Thanks for the messages. I assume processor will still be the same? I really don't care about the camera as much. And mainly concerned about speed and performance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well from what I heard about the pixel3's, OnePlus might have the pixel4xl beat in speed and performance. The OP7P has UFS3.0 and we have a RAM boost, not to mention other variables that contribute to a faster device like almost stock android with OOS. But that is comparing it to an older model... I guess for a final answer we will have to wait until the pixel4xl is released. I'll say the price gap might be significant enough to lean towards the OP7P though.
Pixel 4 needs major changes. Pixel 3 was a step back from pixel 2xl for me personally. 4gb ram with poor ram management made for a frustrating device. Pixel 2xl was one of my favorite phones ever. OP7 pro is very smooth like I was accustomed to with pixel 2xl. Yes camera is not as good but with some patience you can still get quality shots.
It's hard to tell, I would say the 7 pro will be faster but pixel will have better cameras.
It's easy for Google this year though, make a phone with the specs of the 7 pro, no notch and put their camera on it. Even with a 60hz screen I would be tempted. If they do something different I'm not sure what they are up to.
With a once a year concervative release, the Pixel line had always been behind. Except if you want a camera phone...
Google didn't have a good smartphone since Motorola Nexus 6. Before that, Google's (Samsung) Galaxy was a great phone. Except Google pays Samsung or OnePlus to make a new Google phone, I wouldn't bother. They are 2 years behind OnePlus and they are focused on ai and ar, not how to make good smartphone. Also, Google charges too much for crappy phones.
Next great phone will probably be new Samsung Note. The only thing missing on 7 pro would be lack of DeX (hopefully we get that with new iteration of Android OS), and 5x+ "periscope" optical zoom.
Pixel phones have never had particularly exciting hardware, especially if you consider how late in the year it launches. Once again, it seems like it will have a slightly dated look with semi-large bezels for a flagship. Their only redeeming quality is the software and the camera (which we know is also mostly about awesome software).
blunden said:
Pixel phones have never had particularly exciting hardware, especially if you consider how late in the year it launches. Once again, it seems like it will have a slightly dated look with semi-large bezels for a flagship. Their only redeeming quality is the software and the camera (which we know is also mostly about awesome software).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since the leaked specs of that just came out... What do you guys think? Would anyone consider that phone over this? I'm looking to get a new phone in next few months just trying to figure out options for a Verizon unlocked bootloader
Cowbell_Guy said:
Since the leaked specs of that just came out... What do you guys think? Would anyone consider that phone over this? I'm looking to get a new phone in next few months just trying to figure out options for a Verizon unlocked bootloader
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pixel might not beat OnePlus 7 Pro in terms of smoothness and speed.. but camera is a different story.. I have 7 Pro and planning to buy Pixel 4.. if the performance degradation is really noticeable, I will return Pixel 4 and keep OnePlus 7 Pro
I think Pixel 4/4XL will be far superior to OnePlus 7 Pro in the camera department only at a guess.
SlyUK said:
I think Pixel 4/4XL will be far superior to OnePlus 7 Pro in the camera department only at a guess.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
agreed, I think Camera is the one area that pixel is always king.
although that aside, I was disappointed to see that it is only rumored to have six gig of RAM. I can't really see any of the other specs being better than what we currently have. Honestly I'm debating between the 7 plus, before XL, or the next one plus. All I really care about is performance and speed. I'm not a huge photographer
Cowbell_Guy said:
agreed, I think Camera is the one area that pixel is always king.
although that aside, I was disappointed to see that it is only rumored to have six gig of RAM. I can't really see any of the other specs being better than what we currently have. Honestly I'm debating between the 7 plus, before XL, or the next one plus. All I really care about is performance and speed. I'm not a huge photographer
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If thats the case then OnePlus 7 Pro is definitely the phone to get.
Don't forget that by when Pixel 4 releases, Oneplus will have a successor to this phone a month later
Big Nexus / Pixel fan here, having owned almost all Nexus phones, and the Pixel 2 XL and now the 3 XL, and only owned the original OnePlus One, but I have to say, that beast had a long life, with ROM's it performed very well for several years, a good 3+ years the OPO was still fast and smooth. But the stock Android experience doesn't seems as cool as it used to, seems a little laggy sometimes, or not as warp speed smooth.
Whereas Oxygen OS is super fast, extreme smooth, and has extra tweaks and more customization baked in. OnePlus phones is sort of like a Pixel that's running a custom ROM and customer tweaked kernel.
So this is how I see it playing out;
- Pixel 4 XL wins in the camera department, and of course first for updates direct from Google. And the little things like wireless charging and official IP68 rating.
- OnePlus 7 Pro wins other areas; smoother faster OS experience. Maybe better display screen. Faster charging. More customization baked in.
GUGUITOMTG4 said:
Don't forget that by when Pixel 4 releases, Oneplus will have a successor to this phone a month later
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good point. At the very least, night as well wait until the 4 comes out. Will force down prices of the 7, and the 8 will hopefully be released soon after
Which starts another argument- why would someone ever buy a phone with an old outdated processor when a new one was coming out a few months later
Cowbell_Guy said:
Good point. At the very least, night as well wait until the 4 comes out. Will force down prices of the 7, and the 8 will hopefully be released soon after
Which starts another argument- why would someone ever buy a phone with an old outdated processor when a new one was coming out a few months later
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You buy a phone when you need it, simple as that. Something new is always around the corner, but if you wait for that you will be waiting forever.
Hi guys,
I'm currently using OnePlus 3T and after almost 3 years it's about time to buy new phone.
I'm not a gamer and I mainly use the phone for taking pictures, web and navigation.
Picture quality is the first thing I look for - it must be superb
I know that this is OP thread but I believe many of the users here switched from pixel to op.
what phone would you recommend? pixel 3a spec are outdated but maybe its still good enough for my usage for the next 2-3 years.
Do you think that OP can improve the software to match the quality of the pixel?
I've heard about the gcam porting but still the picture quality is not as good as taking photos with the pixel.
Or maybe should I wait to October where Google announces the pixel 4 and maybe the pixel 4a
Your help will be highly appreciated
Thanks
Go for OnePlus
OnePlus 7 is good, or 7 Pro if you don't mind curved edge. (I hate it)
Wait for the Pixel 4 XL since it is so close to being released. Tho i do love my OnePlus 7 pro. Pixels have the best camera.
---------- Post added at 08:06 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:05 AM ----------
Chanbingo said:
OnePlus 7 is good, or 7 Pro if you don't mind curved edge. (I hate it)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got use to the curved glass thanks to the Galaxy S8/9/10, just use a case and usually solves the accidental touches
pixel 4 would cost x1.5 for sure, don't want to spend too much
I really like the OP 3T so upgrading to 7 plus seems like the right choice.
What do you think about 7 vs 7 plus? the plus worth the extra penny?
Similar boat here, especially as a 3a XL can be had for £270 on EE from CeX at grade A (as new) whilst an OP7 is £500 upwards... and I do care about photo quality...
Thing is you do get much more with the OnePlus. You get IMO the better ROM - Pixel stock is nice, I've tried Pixel Experience on my old Moto G5 and it's great, but it's also quite basic. If you want things like screen recording, scrolling screenshots etc then you need third party software and have to battle with the battery saving features to stop them getting closed etc. They have a really nice balance where they add just enough genuinely useful features without turning it into bloatware. Only thing you miss out on is "Now Playing" which I must admit would be nice.
You get the in-display fingerprint reader making it way more convenient for "phone on desk" scenarios.
You get the mute slider which I've missed during my time on other phones.
You get, obviously, better and faster everything else except possibly shorter battery life (not sure, but the 3aXL is well regarded that way).
But true, there's no solid guarantee on camera quality. I know OP have a team dedicated to improving it so am having a bit of faith in it (and don't really mind installing Gcam for now if I can find a good universal install-and-forget version) but if guaranteed photo quality is of paramount importance even above all else mentioned then Pixel is the way to go. I know the dilemma very well as I've been agonising over the same thing (oh our first world problems!) but I had a 3T a couple of years ago and regret ever switching from it. It was hands down the best smartphone I've ever owned, and that past experience (plus wanting more RAM so I can e.g. keep Pokemon Go from being closed so much) is also pushing me towards the OP7, come what may. I'm not sure the camera is as 'bad' as some people make out - nerds are champions when it comes to complaining
supergear said:
Wait for the Pixel 4 XL since it is so close to being released. Tho i do love my OnePlus 7 pro. Pixels have the best camera.
---------- Post added at 08:06 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:05 AM ----------
I got use to the curved glass thanks to the Galaxy S8/9/10, just use a case and usually solves the accidental touches
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cloudane said:
Similar boat here, especially as a 3a XL can be had for £270 on EE from CeX at grade A (as new) whilst an OP7 is £500 upwards... and I do care about photo quality...
Thing is you do get much more with the OnePlus. You get IMO the better ROM - Pixel stock is nice, I've tried Pixel Experience on my old Moto G5 and it's great, but it's also quite basic. If you want things like screen recording, scrolling screenshots etc then you need third party software and have to battle with the battery saving features to stop them getting closed etc. They have a really nice balance where they add just enough genuinely useful features without turning it into bloatware. Only thing you miss out on is "Now Playing" which I must admit would be nice.
You get the in-display fingerprint reader making it way more convenient for "phone on desk" scenarios.
You get the mute slider which I've missed during my time on other phones.
You get, obviously, better and faster everything else except possibly shorter battery life (not sure, but the 3aXL is well regarded that way).
But true, there's no solid guarantee on camera quality. I know OP have a team dedicated to improving it so am having a bit of faith in it (and don't really mind installing Gcam for now if I can find a good universal install-and-forget version) but if guaranteed photo quality is of paramount importance even above all else mentioned then Pixel is the way to go. I know the dilemma very well as I've been agonising over the same thing (oh our first world problems!) but I had a 3T a couple of years ago and regret ever switching from it. It was hands down the best smartphone I've ever owned, and that past experience is also pushing me towards the OP7, come what may. I'm not sure the camera is as 'bad' as some people make out - nerds are champions when it comes to complaining
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I totally agree, you're up for OP7 not OP7 plus? would like to hear your thoughts here as well
embedded123 said:
I totally agree, you're up for OP7 not OP7 plus? would like to hear your thoughts here as well
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I can't justify paying an extra £150 for 90Hz (which I don't want to get addicted to as then other screens will look bad to me and it'll end up restricting my tech purchases), telephoto lens (with so many megapixels these days, cropping or variations of AI digital zoom should be good enough for me) or wide angle lens (this I want the most and was agonising about last night, but... 150 quid.... and I can get a clip on). Other than that it's about the same device? Slightly faster charging which I'm not bothered about as Dash Charge is super fast already.
I can actually think of a couple of advantages to the non-Pro IMO. One being that the Pro apparently has quite 'aggressive' curves to the display. Now, I have an S9 currently and to be fair I think the curving on that looks quite nice and rarely notice any distortion, but from what I've seen of the 7Pro you get a more noticeable version of the greenish tint that appears from indirect viewing angles, I think it'd possibly bug me, not sure without seeing one in person.
Another being no moving parts. I'm sure the selfie camera is very well tested, but I'd rather not.
Plus... well no smartphone these days is good for one handed use, but let's say it's slightly less bad
And despite absolutely loathing notches initially, they've had this weird effect of growing on me (just as the industry is finding ways to get rid of them, lol). The teardrop actually looks quite 'cute' in my eyes.
Plus one sort of 'political' reason: I don't want to encourage OP to keep hiking prices up, or come next year they'll just be yet another manufacturer of smartphones that cost over a grand. I want to support their mid range flagship killer business.
OnePlus 7 Pro or Pixel 4. The Pixel 3a can't even compete. It also depends on how much you'd like to spend.
Google's stock OS is lacking behind OOS. It lacks any real innovations as Google is afraid of change, evidence by the lack of dark mode in apps and OS until now (5 or 6 years after it's been available in custom ROMs).
The 3xl just can't compete with the OP 7 pro. The 7 pro is faster, another, 90hz screen faster charging, larger screen and the specs are outdated in comparison (SD855, 6/8/12 gb ram and minimum of 128gb storage). The battery in mine lasts all day with heavy use and I'm averaging 9+ hours of sot.
The pixel has a slightly better camera in low light but day time shots there is no discernable difference between the 2. It also gets updates faster but 4-6 weeks difference is nothing compared to phones like Samsung which can take 6 months or longer.
So the only reasons you should buy a 3xl is the low light camera is the most important feature you can settle for or for some reason you feel that security you're are a must the instant they are out. Or you're penny pinching and can get the 3xl cheaper.
I'm trying to get an updated opinion about the "hot" snapdragon 8 gen 2 phones that are out currently. About 4-5 months ago the Vivo x90 Pro+ and Xiaomi 13 Ultra were the talk, but the vivo as it stands isn't going to be releasing a global version, and the CN version that a handful of people got their hands on, there is quite a bit of talk about all the bloatware on the device, plus notification issues, plus it doesn't appear as rooting it is anywhere in the near future for the phone.
The Xiaomi is an option and they have a global version in the talks, but apparently it might not come to the states and also I hear that the signal support is hit or miss.
Next up is the Samsung S23 Ultra; although I hear great things and generally speaking the hardware is pretty hard core, I don't have good experience with their interface. From personal experience using galaxy s6,7,8 bloatware is a HUGE issue and from what I hear not much has changed for the better since those models. Also I have read root is possible which is a plus on the S23 ultra, but still not sure if there are any limitations (outside of samsung software (I don't use samsung software)) such as google wallet/pay, bank apps, etc?
Moving on, Oneplus. I've always been a hit or miss kinda guy with the Oneplus. I've owned the op3T, op5T, and now the OP9 Pro. I like that they are "root friendly" generally speaking, and have a semi-vanilla android OS. What I dislike about the phone is the curved screen. Don't really care for it. Also the glass back is no-bueno because my current one has cracked multiple times on me despite being in a case and still functional.
Anyway, I'd like to hear some updated opinions about any of these phones or similar phones that you recommend.
For me, I am mostly interested in performance and battery life that can get me through the day or so. Having a nice camera is a perk, but I think most camera's these days are decent at the very least.
Also kind of a side topic, has anyone had any experience with a carbon fiber phone case? I was thinking of using one for my oneplus or future phone to prevent the back from breaking if it's glass. Carbon fiber is supposed to be really strong and light weight; but I'm not sure if it hinders the phone signal/antenna.
The Samsung Note 10+ (N975U1) has a smaller battery, is 30gm lighter, has better form factor & bezel to display ratio and gets better SOT (11-13 hrs) than the S23U*. In actual use it's only slightly slower except for intensive gaming. It runs cool and supports up to 1tb of expandable storage. The 60hz display is still one of the best in terms of resolution, color accuracy/calibration.
It's cams are more than adequate. Solid build quality and long lived. I have two and nothing Samsung has released since has matched it in overall functionality and usability which why I still run them. They are still a joy to use.
New ones are loaded with Android 10 are still available.
*all Samsung's should be optimized otherwise battery life will suffer.
blackhawk said:
The Samsung Note 10+ (N975U1) has a smaller battery, is 30gm lighter, has better form factor & bezel to display ratio and gets better SOT (11-13 hrs) than the S23U*. In actual use it's only slightly slower except for intensive gaming. It runs cool and supports up to 1tb of expandable storage. The 60hz display is still one of the best in terms of resolution, color accuracy/calibration.
It's cams are more than adequate. Solid build quality and long lived. I have two and nothing Samsung has released since has matched it in overall functionality and usability which why I still run them. They are still a joy to use.
New ones are loaded with Android 10 are still available.
*all Samsung's should be optimized otherwise battery life will suffer.
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Thanks for your input. The one concern I have with that model is that I believe the form factor is considered a phablet if I'm not mistaken. I personally like the smaller phones (thinner in terms of width).
Another phone I haven't heard too much about is the iqoo 11. I think it's comparable to the Oneplus 11 in terms of price and specs. Does anyone have any input on that one?